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Microsoft Businesses

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Called Out For 'Worker Surveillance' (theregister.com) 36

Posted by BeauHD from the algorithmic-management dept.
Microsoft Dynamics 365's "field service management" tools enable employers to monitor mobile workers via smartphone apps -- "allegedly to the detriment of their autonomy and dignity," reports The Register. From the report: According to a probe by Cracked Labs - an Austrian nonprofit research group -- the software is part of a broader set of applications that disempowers workers through algorithmic management. The case study [PDF] summarizes how employers in Europe actually use software and smartphone apps to oversee field technicians, home workers, and cleaning staff. It's part of a larger ongoing project helmed by the group called "Surveillance and Digital Control at Work," which includes contributions from AlgorithmWatch; Jeremias Adams-Prassl, professor of law at the University of Oxford; and trade unions UNI Europa and GPA.

Mobile maintenance workers used to have a substantial amount of autonomy when they were equipped with basic mobile phones, the study notes, but smartphones have allowed employers to track what mobile workers do, when they do it, where they are, and gather many other data points. The effect of this monitoring, the report argues, means diminished worker discretion, autonomy, and sense of purpose due to task-based micromanagement. The shift has also accelerated and intensified work stress, with little respect to workers' capabilities, differences in lifestyle, and job practices. "Field service workers travel to multiple locations servicing different products every day," a Microsoft spokesperson told The Register. "Dynamics 365 Field Service and its Copilot capabilities are designed to help field service workers schedule, plan and provide onsite maintenance and repairs in the right location, on time with the right information and workplace guides on their device to complete their jobs."

"Dynamics 365 Field Service does not use AI to recommend individual workers for specific jobs based on previous performance. Dynamics 365 Field Service was developed in accordance with our Responsible AI principles and data privacy statement. Customers are solely responsible for using Dynamics 365 Field Service in compliance with all applicable laws, including laws relating to accessing individual employee analytics and monitoring."
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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Called Out For 'Worker Surveillance' More

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Called Out For 'Worker Surveillance'

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  • hand your piss water bottle to your boss at the end of the day and ask them to change the rules about useing the ones in the customers homes.

  • Disempowering workers thru algorithmic management (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Mirnotoriety ( 10462951 ) on Thursday August 01, 2024 @09:22PM (#64674412)
    ‘Microsoft’s “field service management [crackedlabs.org]” system provides extensive functionality for algorithmic management, performance control and behavioral monitoring:’
    • Well, for that last 20 or so years, employers can use man-in-the middle MS admin software to read all your secure browsing that you imagined was private. If you have a work mobile phone, they can remote erase it, or detect unwanted apps on it. My boss refused the work offered phone, because he liked his Samsung, Trouble was, that corporate software did not work on that model of Samsung.

      • ... liked his Samsung ...

        Giving his boss the ability to read his "secure browsing" and "remote erase" his private life wasn't an issue? The article doesn't explain if these employees were given a phone or stupidly put it on their personal device, and did so without charging their employer for using their battery, their CPU and their RAM.

  • Real Headline:Microsoft tracks where you eat lunch (Score:3)

    by will4 ( 7250692 ) on Thursday August 01, 2024 @10:25PM (#64674478)

    The article headline: Microsoft Dynamics 365 called out for 'worker surveillance'

    Rewritten for clarity: Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows your employer to track where you eat lunch and possibly use that in evaluating your job performance and longevity as an employee.

    This is a fail on many fronts, such as a poultry manufacturer determining which employees eat at vegan restaurants.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      The article headline: Microsoft Dynamics 365 called out for 'worker surveillance'

      Rewritten for clarity: Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows your employer to track where you eat lunch and possibly use that in evaluating your job performance and longevity as an employee.

      This is a fail on many fronts, such as a poultry manufacturer determining which employees eat at vegan restaurants.

      Erm... Teams is on my laptop, how does it know if I went to McDonalds or Tesco? Is it secretly collecting my post lunch ablutions?

      I absolutely won't install a work program on my personal phone. Especially as there are web versions available for the once in a blue moon occasion where I'm not near a work device.

      The biggest fail however is a nation with such weak industrial relations laws that they permit this kind of thing, let alone to permit it to be used against workers.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by zlives ( 2009072 )

      i mean worker surveillance was sold as a feature not a bug. why is any one surprised? why is MS denying it?

  • I don't get what the whine is about... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by bleedingobvious ( 6265230 ) on Friday August 02, 2024 @12:25AM (#64674588)

    It's management software. For managing field service staff. Who accepted employment and therefore acknowledge that their line maanger would want to... you know.... manage their performance. Using factual metrics as opposed to feelings.

    "she sees a problem with the way these sorts of tools enforce specific work patterns without respect to worker abilities and cultural norms"

    Wow. Just. Wow. Some folks who have never worked a day in their lives sure know a lot about the real world and how to instruct those who do actually work on how it should be done.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by zeiche ( 81782 )

      seemed to have blown right past this point, eh:

      diminished worker discretion, autonomy, and sense of purpose due to task-based micromanagement.

      try being micromanaged. is SUCKS.

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by bleedingobvious ( 6265230 )

        try being micromanaged. is SUCKS.

        Sure. Some managers suck at the job. Some.

        Whining because there's *any* sort of management is... childish.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by waspleg ( 316038 )

      Wow. Just. Wow. Some folks who have never worked a day in their lives sure know a lot about the real world and how to instruct those who do actually work on how it should be done.

      I was thinking the same thing reading your post.

      • Re: (Score:2, Troll)

        by bleedingobvious ( 6265230 )

        I was thinking the same thing reading your post.

        So, in your universe, there should be no managers because every employee is just super-awesome, productive and responsible?

        What is this? Narnia?

    • The problem is that these tools increase employer's control over employee past the societal norms. While there are expectations of productivity and so on as part of employment contract, it does not go as far as 100% productivity at all times for minimum wage and salaried jobs. Overwhelming majority of employees would fail such performance target, and it would be infeasible to enforce. As such, the main purpose of such tools is to provide excuses for arbitrary termination, where employee would otherwise be e

      • The problem is that these tools increase employer's control over employee past the societal norms.

        Whether these tools exist or not, the employee is *always* at a disadvantage. There will always be companies with terrible cultures. That has been and will continue to be the reality.

        That being said, using tools that provide metrics vs a manager's gut feel to determine productivity.... I'd go with factual metrics every time.

  • It's time we stand up to soulless companies who violate the rights of their employees knowing nothing will happen to them outside of a potential small fine.

    Power belongs to those who take it.

  • "Customers are solely responsible for using Dynamics 365 Field Service in compliance with all applicable laws, including laws relating to accessing individual employee analytics and monitoring.", meaning, we gave 0 fucks and just installed spyware for anyone to use
  • If you can't live your life without your phone on you at all times either because you are addicted to it.. or it is company mandated.. are you not technically a cyborg?

  • ... my VP, in '87, when I worked at the Scummy Mortgage Co (a Fortune 500 company) who'd walk in and watch us, to see if we were typing, as though we were keypunchers. Yes, really.

    • Ahh... the old days.

      When I worked at Stanford Research Institute in the 90s, my boss would literally stand near the door of the office and announce: "Begin work ", "You are on break ", "Break is over ", "You are on lunch ", "Lunch is over ", "You are on break ", "Break is over ", "End of day, You may go " every day. He unlocked the doors to the department area every morning, and watched while we punched in (yes, punched in with a timeclock), and at the end of the day he watched us punch out, and locked the

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